“Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭11:27-32‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Paul says, “But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world.” Is the Holy Spirit convicting you of something? Humans have an amazing ability to rationalize actions that are disobedient to God and it has to be bad for us if God doesn’t allow it. Please pray that we and our friends will give those idols to God so He is in control and not us. Please pray for Blake and Ben’s group as it forms.

“For a man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God, but woman is the glory of man. For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man. That is why a wife ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God. Judge for yourselves: is it proper for a wife to pray to God with her head uncovered?”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭11:7-13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Paul says, “Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman”. How much do we learn about God through our spouses? I see a healthy interdependence here that God uses for His purpose. Bonni and I are very similar in some ways, but see things very differently in others. I see God transforming both of us as we learn to see things from the other’s perspective and then take it to God. At the end of the day, He will transform us and I see him doing it through our relationship. Please pray that we and our friends look to see if God is teaching us something through the perspective of a loved one. Please pray for the women who are thinking about aborting their child.

“For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭9:19-23‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Paul says, “I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.” This may read like Paul insincerely becomes something, but I think he is saying that he puts himself in another’s shoes. I love the saying, “people don’t care how much you know, till they know how much you care.” Do we practice that? It’s very tempting to think if we just say the right words, people will understand. I’ve never found that in my conversations(could just be me though). I do know that I receive advice much more willingly if I know that person genuinely cares about me. Please pray that we and our friends seek genuine relationships before sharing the Gospel. Please pray for a CLC brother who is at the Mayo Clinic today to deal with months of issues from an unknown cause.

“However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭8:7-13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Paul says, “But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.” Is it possible to ensure we do not ever do anything that may hurt the conscience of a weaker brother? I don’t think so and it may be legalistic to do so. However, I do think Paul is encouraging kindness here. If we know a particular brother is struggling, we can invest the time with him so that he fully understands what is biblical and what isn’t. Please pray that we and our friends invest in our weaker friends so they too will know truth. Please pray for the victims just being brought into human trafficking at the average age of 13.

“I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭7:32-35‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Paul says, “I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.” Are we tempted to put our spouses’ opinion above God’s? Paul now uses a good thing to help us see the need to prioritize God. Most people on this email aren’t as tempted to put sin above their relationship with God, but are we tempted to put our spouse or kids above God like Abraham? Please pray that we and our friends give all our relationships to God. Please pray for all the runaways that are being lured into human trafficking right now.

“For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called. Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭7:19-24‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Paul says, “You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men.” To whom is your highest allegiance? Most of us would say God without even thinking, but are we ever tempted to disobey God in order to please another? Why? Are we a bond servant to anyone? If we can’t be obedient to God and please another, shouldn’t it be a easy choice to make? Please pray that we and our friends reflect on the price Jesus paid for us today. Please pray for a friend that is a unbeliever.

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭6:9-11‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Paul says, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” What a joy to know that Christ has died for our sins and God chooses to see us clean. Do we really soak that in and walk in that knowledge and joy all day today? Please pray that we and our friends accept this forgiveness and walk with the Holy Spirit. Please pray for all the families struggling right now.

“But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭3:1-7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Paul says, “And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh.” How many of us are still of the flesh? Do we let our flesh drive some of our decisions? Why? Paul is the same person who acknowledged that he does what he doesn’t want to do and doesn’t do what he wants to do. Christ has given us the choice to walk in the flesh or walk in the Spirit. My friend James challenges, “Why would we ever choose to walk in the flesh if it’s already been conquered?” Please pray that we and our friends choose to walk in the Spirit continuously all day today. Please pray for our unbelieving friends.

“these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭2:10-14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Paul says, “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.” Do we fully comprehend the power of the Holy Spirit? Do we comprehend that He is with us right now? Do we ask Him to help us? Do we ask Him to help us understand God’s purpose in things that we don’t understand or like? It amazing how He answers. Please pray that we and our friends ask the Holy Spirit to help us to be about God’s purpose today. Please pray that this country doesn’t use racism to stop racism.

“For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭1:17-20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

All,This stands out because Paul says, “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” Can you imagine a day without the knowledge of Christ’s resurrection? With our lives dependent on His, we have a inner peace and joy. If one isn’t dependent on Christ, what are they dependent on? The world is full of countless idols for people to worship if they don’t worship Christ. Please pray that we and our friends help our unbelieving friends know the fullness of Christ. Please pray for the victims of sex trafficking.